


Crown of Twelve

by LadyGreensleeves



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:14:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24616636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyGreensleeves/pseuds/LadyGreensleeves
Summary: Born a princess, Joan Thayer is betrothed to King Gavin of the nearby kindom of Radiac. What she doesn't know is that eleven other women share the King's heart. How will she adjust to the court life and to the others?[Trigger warning: Will contain mentions of sexual assault and death]





	Crown of Twelve

Beyond the open doorway, stars twinkled like diamonds in the black velvet of the night sky. Faintly I could hear music from the dining room but my eyes were on the sky. There was a sudden presence at my shoulder and I turned to see Ruth, her normally calm face lit up with a soft smile.  
"How are you enjoying your party?"  
"It's lovely, however…" I toyed with the garnet laden choker at my neck. For a moment I felt a distant sense of disdain for its frivolity. For weeks Mother had decided on increasingly extravagant pieces for my wardrobe. Ruth's brow creased with worry and she caught my hand to give it a gentle squeeze. I struggled not to turn away from her knowing stare. We had grown up together but we didn't talk much recently.  
"However?"  
"Something isn't right. Father's nervous and I'm a little worried as to his news."  
She tipped her head to the side, absentmindedly tapping the back of my hand gently. "Hopefully it won't be that bad."  
"Hopefully. Will you stay the night?"  
"I can." Her tan cheeks flushed and she furrowed her brow again. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."  
"Is everything-"  
My mother's amused voice cut in. "There you two are!"  
Automatically Ruth and I turned to curtsy. After years at court, it had become habit. Ruth easily hid her grin and I barely stifled my own smile. If I didn't know her so well, I would have said that there was even the hint of a laugh in my mother's voice.  
"Joan, your father is just about to make his announcement." Mother's eyes shone with barely concealed merriment as she inclined her head towards the dining room. In a few seconds I noted that underneath the happiness was a well covered agitation. I raised an eyebrow at Ruth who simply shrugged. With trembling fingers I smoothed a strand of hair into my bun and let my hand drop as we reached the dining room. Father raised a glass of red wine in our direction and revealed a paper with a flourish of the other hand. A yellow seal stood out vibrantly against the pale paper but I couldn't see details from this distance.  
Father set his wine glass down and turned his beaming face to the party's attendants. "To add to the joy of my daughter's birthday, I have an announcement." Mother tossed him a wry look as she stepped closer. "As our daughter has lived a happy twenty years, we have decided that she is of marriageable age. A match has been found and we are pleased to say that she is officially betrothed to King Gavin of the esteemed House of Lione in Radiac."  
Polite applause and cheers flitted through the crowd but I barely heard as the room swayed in my vision. My prospects for marriage had been discussed all my life yet I hadn't expected to be engaged so soon. Dimly I knew that Ruth nudged my arm to walk forward. The smile on my face threatened to crack when I took my place by my parents. Mother slid an arm around my shoulders and Father pressed the paper into a hand that felt like that of a statue. Scanning the large handwriting quickly, I brushed my thumb over the seal. I didn't recognize it as his family's crest; the marguerites draped below the eleven pointed crown must have been his personal seal.  
The party rushed past in a blur. There was a parade of our closest friends and family to wish me well and to press kisses against my cheeks in a flurry of increasingly nauseating perfume. An hour later I blinked and realized that I sat in my nightgown and robe in my parlor. Ruth sat on the sofa across from me in her own nightgown, looking at me expectantly.  
"Joan? Are you ready to talk? You've been sitting there without saying a word after the maids came in to help you change."  
"What? Of course." I glanced around and spotted a glass of water on the low table between us. Suddenly thirsty, I picked it up and gulped down the contents. Ruth moved to sit next to me on my sofa and looked at me worriedly.  
"Ah, how would you like this to go?"  
"Do you have the mental and emotional energy for me to start?" I tucked my feet under me and clasped my hands tightly in my lap. Ruth nodded and I took a breath. "I want to be free. I know I have it much easier than most, but I want to be free. However, I also want to make you all happy and proud, and how can I do that if I don't marry Gavin?"  
"Come here." Ruth put her arms around me and I folded in like children do when they're upset. "You will always make me proud and you work so hard to make everyone happy. I know you'll do well."  
I nodded numbly before a thought hit me. Automatically I focused on her. "Oh! Please tell me what you wanted to talk about."  
Ruth bit her lip. She let go to tug at the ends of her hair. The dark brown strands, usually pulled into a high bun, were now hanging loose to her hips. "What I'm going to tell you, you'll always love me, correct?"  
"Of course, what's wrong?" I looked at her in concern.  
"It's not something that's wrong but I'm very nervous." She laughed and there was a touch of strain to it. "I like men and women."  
"Romantically?"  
"Ah, yes."  
I nodded. "How long have you known?"  
"A few years. I wanted to tell you actually because I've been seeing a woman for…" She clicked her tongue. "Maybe two years?"  
"Wow. That's a while." I flicked her shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me? What's she like?"  
"I didn't know what you would say." Ruth rubbed the nape of her neck. "Some people are, well, hateful."  
"Unless you go on a murdering spree for no reason, I could never hate you. Besides, love is love."  
Ruth laughed and a tension in her shoulders eased. "I believe I was asked to describe her. She's very intelligent and sarcastic. We're an odd match since I'm so soft, but I love her. She has the most striking emerald green eyes and her hair is as black as a raven; it's as long as my hair."  
I smiled at her wistful look. "May I ask you something?"  
"Mhm."  
"Do you know anything about my fiancé?" I paused on the last word. Saying fiancé aloud was new to me.  
"Well…"  
"Please tell me."  
Her mouth contorted into a grimace. "They say he's handsome but promiscuous." I groaned and leaned back against the sofa, eyes shut. "However, they also say he's a relatively good king." She continued.  
"Relatively?" I opened an eye to look at her. She winced. "Apparently he's kind but maybe a little out of touch."  
"What joy." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "It's late, you should sleep."  
"You should too." Ruth gave a mirthless smile. "You have some planning to do. A proxy marriage to sign for in a few weeks, likely travelling in a month."  
"Kindly murder me." She shook her head and stood up.  
"Please be careful. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight." I watched as she walked to my door and opened it in one easy movement. With a sigh I got up to blow out the lamps. I would miss this place and its typical informality. From my childhood lessons I knew that Radiac had a strict court. With any luck I'd be able to survive it.


End file.
